RVMPT Chapter 60

Chapter 60

---

Harold pressed the mask on his face and met Diana’s gaze.

Lately, Diana had seemed distracted. He had planned to subtly figure out the reason soon, but he hadn’t expected to hear about it like this.

Harold went over the details he had received from the Aneis Guild Master regarding Diana’s request for counseling.

Was it the Marchioness Mayer who mentioned it?

Diana had started acting differently after meeting the Marchioness. She hadn’t told Prince Andrew the real reason either, but someone might have figured it out.

Harold had no intention of telling Diana the real reason he had joined hands with the prince.

There were two main reasons. First, he hadn’t done it to earn points with her—he had acted to make sure he didn’t lose priority. Second, he didn’t want Diana to feel indebted to him.

But now, his reasons for keeping it a secret weren’t important anymore.

This actually worked out well. The Marchioness Mayer is useful sometimes.

This situation was perfect for him to take advantage of.

With a smirk hidden behind his mask, Harold sat down across from Diana.

He pulled out a blank piece of paper from the drawer. To disguise his handwriting, he used his left hand instead of his usual right.

The soft scratching of the pen echoed as he wrote:

– It’s been a while, Duchess.

“I’m glad to see you again too.”

For a brief moment, Diana’s heart skipped a beat when she saw his deep blue eyes—the same color as Harold’s.

Ugh, not this again. It’s not like Harold is the only one with navy blue eyes.

She was already seeing Harold’s reflection in every rock she looked at. It wasn’t that strange for blue eyes to remind her of him.

But why would Harold be here doing this?

Even without thinking too hard, she knew Harold wasn’t the type to have free time for this.

Taking a deep breath to clear her mind, Diana inhaled the scent of his woodsy cologne mixed with a faint metallic smell.

“You’re the subordinate the guild master said was good at counseling?”

– Yes, that’s correct.

“Oh? That’s great.”

Since she had met him before, it was easier to talk to him compared to a complete stranger.

She clasped her hands together and asked, “Did the guild master tell you what I wanted to ask?”

– I’ve heard everything. I also have an additional question. Would it be alright to ask? I want to make sure I can help with your concerns.

Impressed by his eagerness, Diana quickly nodded.

“Of course. What do you want to ask?”

Harold adjusted his grip on the pen and wrote the question.

Diana’s blue eyes widened as she read it.

– How does the person in question feel about the man?

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Diana felt her face heat up. Without thinking, she blurted out,

“Is this really necessary?”

– Yes. It’s a very important part of the counseling.

“…Alright.”

His firm response left no room for argument, so she nodded in the end.

It’s not like I can’t talk about it honestly.

Compared to her divine powers or the details of her contract with Harold, this was something she could openly discuss anywhere.

Still, unlike before—when she had simply admitted she felt a general fondness for Harold—her tongue tingled strangely this time.

Diana hesitated, trying to understand herself, before finally speaking.

“I like him.”

Harold was the first person she had truly connected with in this world. He had respected her, never forcing anything on her, and instead proposed a fair deal. That alone was enough reason to say she liked him.

Over time, she had formed many relationships—Marchioness Mayer, Anna, Prince Andrew, Finn, Baron and Baroness Handle, Evan, and many others. She genuinely liked them all.

But Harold was different.

It was the same feeling at first, but as time passed, it had changed.

She already had enough reasons to like him, yet more and more, she kept finding new ones. Their shared memories piled up, making her like him even more.

If she had to rank the people she cared about, Harold would undoubtedly be in first place.

Of course, it’s just a natural fondness.

That’s what Diana told herself, but the warmth in her flushed cheeks refused to fade.

From an outsider’s perspective, 99 out of 100 people would say she was confessing romantic feelings.

…Why is it so hot in here?

Feeling thirsty, she instinctively licked her lips.

She reached for her teacup to quench her thirst, but only a few drops rolled down her lips.

Ah, right. I already finished it.

She stared at the empty cup with regret.

That was when she realized—he hadn’t spoken in a while.

Glancing up, she saw those deep blue eyes trembling like a stormy sea.

He didn’t even seem to notice she was looking at him.

Diana tapped the paper and asked, “Hey, are you listening?”

“…Was my answer not helpful?”

When Diana spoke, he blinked his deep blue eyes. Finally, his gaze regained focus.

He switched the pen from his right hand to his left.

– No. It was very helpful.

His eyes curved slightly behind the mask.

“I’m glad it helped.”

Diana stopped wondering if she needed to explain more.

– Before we continue, may I step out for a moment?

“Huh? Sure.”

He got up and left the room, returning shortly after.

Where did he go? Diana was puzzled. But soon, the door opened again, and a guild member entered, placing tea and desserts on the table before quietly taking away her empty teacup.

So he was paying attention.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Diana made sure to properly thank him.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it. That was thoughtful of you.”

He scribbled something on a piece of paper.

Diana glanced at it and blinked in surprise before letting out a short laugh.

– ^v^

Whoever he is, he’s not just considerate—he’s unexpectedly cute too.

She took a sip of the perfectly warm tea.

As her thirst eased, the masked man handed her another note.

– Do you still not understand why the other person is treating you so well?

“Yeah.”

– I think I know the reason right away.

“…! Really?”

Diana instinctively slammed her teacup onto the table with a thunk!, making the liquid ripple like ocean waves.

“What is it?”

He pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and began writing.

As his pen moved, Diana’s blue eyes followed every stroke. Even though the writing was upside-down and hard to read, she didn’t give up.

– It’s because the other person feels the same way about you.

She read the words over and over.

If the other person felt the same, that meant Harold also had a human fondness for her.

Diana admitted as much herself. That would explain why he suggested broadening the range of physical contact for treatment and why he tried to be even kinder to her.

But—

“…Would he really risk so much just for that?”

Harold had already anticipated that even if his plan succeeded, the emperor would retaliate by poisoning him as a warning. Yet, he had considered that a minor risk.

Since Diana could use divine power, he believed the damage would be minimal. And if things went as planned, he might be right.

But no plan was ever guaranteed to go smoothly.

And yet, he was willing to take all those risks just because he liked her? That was hard for her to accept.

He tilted his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand her doubts. Then, he took back the paper and wrote again.

– I don’t see why that isn’t enough. If you like someone, you’d do anything for them, wouldn’t you?

“…But.”

Diana parted her lips to speak but then pressed them shut.

Maybe trying to find an answer through someone else was never going to work.

The hopeful excitement she had felt deflated like a balloon losing air.

It wasn’t that she was dissatisfied with the answer.

She suddenly realized—searching for answers through a third party felt selfish.

For counseling to be effective, she couldn’t keep anything hidden.

But there were too many things she couldn’t openly share—her contract with Harold, her divine power that was more like a poisoned chalice, and the risks Harold was taking against the emperor. Even trying to explain them in a vague way had its limits.

Just as she swallowed a sigh, he took the paper back once more and wrote something new.

– If a man wants to have a woman all to himself, he would do at least that much.

Diana stared blankly at the words in front of her.

“To have her all to himself”…

That phrase stuck in her mind.

Slowly, she parted her lips.

Oh.

So that was what it meant.